sweet and precious amongst Men unto this day had not the dead fly corrupted and marr'd the savour of the fragrant oyntment Let Vincentius Lyrniensis be heard an ancient Father too and if any thing be wanting above he will supply it and make his encomium full He is saith he accounted the chief among the Latins for who more learned then this Man who more exercised in things both divine and humane In the wonderful vastness and capacity of his mind he comprehended all Philosophy and all the sects of Philosophers the authors and assertors of those sects together with all their Discipline all variety of History yea of all kinds of study Was not his Wit so weighty and vehement that he propounded almost nothing to himself to be overcome and master'd by him which he either brake not through with the sharpness or else dashâ— in pieces with the ponderousness of it Moreover who can set forth the praises of his speech which is so invironed with I know not what strength of reason that whom he could not perswade he doth even force to yeild to his consent in whom there are as many sentences as words and as many victories as reasons as Marcion Apelles Praxeas Hermâ—genes the Jews the Gentiles Gnosticks and others knew full well whose blasphemies he overthrew with the many and mighty mounts and batteries of his Volumes as it were with certain thunderbolts And yet even this man by much more eloquent than happy not holding the ancient Faith even he also became in Ecclesiâ magna tentatio a great temptation in the Churcâ— of God § 3. As he was a Man of great abilities sâ— was he of no less industry as appears by those lasting monuments of his learned and elaborate Volumes Acutus Scriptor gravis inquit Danaeus qui totum hominem desideret imò etiam saepè ingenii communem captum superet who was had in great estimation especially by holy Cyprian so that he suffered no day to pass without the diligent reading and perusal of some part of him testifying the extraordinary respect which he bare toward him by the words he was wont to use when he called for him saying Da Magistrum reach hither my Master whom also in many things he imitated borrowing even his words and expressions from him and transcribing many passages out of him which he inserted into his own books many other also of the Ancients that followed him made use of him viz. Ierom Ambrose Fortunatus Basil Isidore c which plainly shews that they had him in great veneration As the ancient Ethnicks honoured Homer the Prince of Poets and particularly Arcesilaus the Academick who was so delighted with and studious of him that he would always read somewhat of him before he went to sleep as also in the morning when he arose saying that he went ad Amasium to his beloved Of his works some are wanting but the most remaining unto this day Of the first sort are 1. His Treatise of the troubles attending marriage unto a Philosopher his friend which he wrote when he was but young â—um adhuc esset adolescens lusit in hac materiâ before as Pamelius thinks but in the judgement of Baronius after his conversion 2. His book of the Garments of Aaron which Ierom mentions in his Epistle to Fabiola 3. Of the hope of the faithful wherein he declares himself to be a Millenary himself mentions it advers Marcionem lib. 3. 4. Of Paradise which he thus speaks of himself habes etiam de Paradiso a nobis libellum quo constituimus omnem animum apud inferos sequestrari in die Domini 5. Against Apelles who with Lucian the Heretick having been the Disciple of Marcion and falling upon errours of his own differing from his Master became the author of a Sect that from him have the name of Apelletiani as Tertullian stiles them or Apelleiani as Epiphanius or Apellitae as Augustine or Apelliaci as Rhenanus alluding unto them as the denyers of the Flesh of Christ which was their errour Quasi sine pelle sive cute hoc est carne ut Horatius Iudaeum vocat Apellam quòd sine pelle sit nempe quòd praeputium non habeat Against these Hereticks did Tertullian write this Book inscribed adversus Apelletianos 6. Six Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Rapture which saith Pamelius seem rather to have been written in Greek than Latine and a seventh which he wrote particularly against Appollonius who with Victor are the only two Latin Fathers that preceded Tertullian who hath the third place among them in Ieroms Catalogue wherein he endeavours to defend whatever the other reproved him for These were written after his defection against the Church containing in them divers of his wild Montanistical conceits which therefore may well be wanting without any detriment the bad by much over-weighing the good that was in them they might haply be suppress'd by some who wished well unto the peace of the Church and surely the loss of them would have proved a gain had the errours contained in them been with them buried in everlasting oblivion It 's a mistake of Platina to say that he wrote six Books of Ecstacy against Apollonius whereas 't was only a seventh So it is also of Honorius Augustodunensis who reckons but five of Ecstasie and six against Apollonius and of Trithemius who records but one of each which he saith he had seen so that they seem to have been extant even unto his time 7. A Book against Marcion as he himself intimates written by him in his yonger years somewhat overhastily as Ierom speaks of an Allegorical exposition of the Prophet Obadiab composed by himself in his youth liberè profiteor illud fuisse puerilis ingenii in libris quoque contra Marcionem Septimius Tertullianus hoc idem passus est 8. Of the submission of the Soul 9. Of the superstition of that age these two saith Gothfredus among the rest were in the Index of the Books of Tertullian which was prefix'd unto that Ancient Manuscript out of which he took those two Books of his ad Nationes which he published 10. That the Soul is corporeal volumen hoc suppressum putamus inquit Rhenanus To which added 11. De Fato 12. De Nuptiarum angustiis ad Amicum philosophum 13. De mundis immundis animalibus 14. De circumcisione 15. De Trinitate 16. De censu animae adversus Hermogenem which Pamelius hath in his Catalogue also 17. Trithemius sets down in his Catalogue a Book of his Contra omnes Haereses which begins with Divorum Haereticorum 18. The Book of English Homilies tom 2. part 2. against the peril of idolatry mentions his Book Contra coronandi morem which I find no where else spoken off unless it be the same with his Book De coronâ Militis 19. Bishop Andrews in
flemines augures item reges sacrificuli quique sunt sacerdotes antistites religionum Convocent nos ad concionem cohortentur nos ad suscipiendos cultus Deorum persuadeant multos esse quorum numine ac providentiâ regantur â—â—nia ostendant origines initia sacrorum ac deorum quomodo sint mortalibus tradita qui sons quae ratio sit explicent proferant quae â—â—rces in cultu quae poena in contempta maneat quare ab hominibus se coli velint quid illis si beati sunt humana pietas conferat Quae â—mnia non asseveratione propriâ nec enim â—â—let quicquam mortalis hominis authoritas sed divinis aliquibus testimoniis confirment ficuti nos facimus Doccant isti hoc modo si qua illis fiducia veritatis est loquantur audeant inquam disputare nobiscum aliquid ejusmodi jam profecto ab aniculis quasâ— conâ—emnunt à pueris nostratibus error illorum ac sultitia irridebitur c. § 3. Of the books that he wrote many have been devoured by time which hath left scarce any thing of them remaining besides the names of which I find mentioned 1. His Symposium or banquet which he wrote in Africa while he was but a youth in the Schools or say the Centurists unto the youths of Africa and as Trithemius hath it in Hexameter verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or his journey from Africa unto Nicomedia in Hexameter verse this shews him to have been also an excellent Poet of which I conceive Damasus is to be understood if not rather of his Epistles or of both who gives us an account of the number and nature of them thus I confess unto you that those books of Lactantius which you sent me of late I therefore willingly do not read because in them many Epistles are extended unto the space of a thousand verses or lines and they do rarely dispute of our Doctrine whence it comes to pass both that their length begets a loathing in the Reader and if any be short they are more fit for the Schools then for us disputing of verse or meeter of the Situation of Regions or Countries and Philosophers 3. His book which he Entituled Grammaticus 4. Ad Asclepiadem lib. 2. apud Trithemium l. 1. 5. Of Persecution 6. Four books of Epistles unto Probus 7. Two books of Epistles unto Severus 8. Two books of Epistles unto Demetrian his Auditor or Scholar All these Ierom reckons up in his Catalogue He also make mentions of the eighth book of his Epistles unto Demetrian so that it seems he wrote so many unto him Unless we may suppose that all his Epistles were gathered into one volume which make up the number of eight books whereof the two last and so one of them the eight were unto Demetrian 9. His book of Paradise in Hexameter verse All these are lost and perished none of them being now to be found Those that at this day are extant under his name are these that follow viz. 1. Seven books of Institutions against the Gentiles which with an high and Heroick Spirit he wrote under Constantine the Great for so he himself speaks Hoc opus inquit nunc nominis tui auspicio inchoabimus Constantine Imperator maxime Baronius calls them luculentissimos libros That which occasioned the writing of them was the cunning and calumniating books especially of two great enemies of Christianity the one whereof professing himself a man of chief note among the Philosophers wrote three books against the Christian Name and Religion whom Baronius supposeth to be Porphyrius an Apostate who at this time excelled among the Platonicks and set forth bitter Commentaries against the Christians which then no other Philosopher did And therefore by Cyril not unjustly stiled the father of Calumnies The other being of the number of the judges and one that was the principal Author of the persecution then raised against the Christians in the City of Nicomedia and whole province of Bithynia wrote two books not against the Christians lest he should seem enviously to inveigh against them but unto the Christians that he might be thought gently and with humanity to advise them which books he intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baronius thinks his name to be Hierocles a crafty fellow concealing the wolf under the sheeps skin that by his fallacious title he might ensnare the Reader To confute these and to render the truth oppressed with reproaches more illustrious and shining with her own beauty Lactantius undertook this Noble task of Writing his seven most excellent books of Institutions Thus Baronius in annal ad an 302. § 43. ad 61. Of which in general Lactantius himself thus speaks Quanquam inquit Tertullianus candem causam plenè peroraverit in co libro cui Apologetico nomen est tamen quoniam aliud est accusantibus respondere quod in defensione aut negatione solâ positum est aliud instituere quod nos facimus in quo necesse est totius doctrine substantiam contineri non defugi hunc laborem ut implerem materiam quam Cyprianâ—s non executus est in eâ oratione quâ Demetrianum sicut ipse ait oblatrantem atque obstrepentem veritati redarguere conatur Loctant Institut Lib. 5. cap. 4. The several books are Entituled by these several Names 1. Of False Religion wherein he shews the Religion of the gods to be false After the proem asserting providence and that there is but one God which he proves by the testimonies and Authorities of the Prophets Poets Philosophers Sibyls and of Apollo also refuting the Gentile gods and their Religion in the general and of the Romans in particular he proveth that they were born at a certain time lived most wickedly and at length did undergo the Law of all Mortals Of this and his book de opificio dei Chytraeus thus speaks Prima pars operis inquit quae Ethnicas idolomanias Philosophicas de deo summo bono opiniones taxat liber de opifieio Dei in structurâ corporis animo humano eruditus lectu utilissimus est 2. Of the Original of error and that the Religion of the Gods is vain which he evinceth by divers arguments shewing that the causes of all errors in this kind are these two First The defection of Cham and the posterity of pious Noah from God Secondly The cunning and craft of the Devil Thirdly Of false Wisdom wherein he demonstrate the vanity of Philosophy and Philosophers instancing in the Epicures Stoicks Pythagoreans and the rest shewing how false their chief tenets and opinions be and lastly that Philosophy is not true wisdom 4. Of true Wisdom which comprehends the Doctrine of Christ his Person Name Nativity two Natures Miracles and Passion and afterward he declares the causes of Heresies to be Avarice Pride Ignorance of the Scripture and admiration of false Prophets 5. Of Justice that 't is not to
written by him in Latin yet would not peremptorily conclude it For saith he it is not clear to me whether of the two he wrote in though I rather soppose that he wrote in Latin but was more expert in the Greek and therefore speaking Latin he is bold to make use of Greek figures and forms of speech But most are of another mind judging the Greek to have been the Original Language werein his Books were written And that they were afterward translated by himself saith Feuardentius to cover over the faults of the Translator which are not a few or lest the Testimonies alleadged from the translation should lose of their Authority and Weight or which is most likely by some other All consent in this saith Baronius that he wrote In Greek he wrote many excellent Volumes in the Greek Tongue saith Sixtus Senensis and saith Rhenanus proculdubio without doubt he wrote in Greek for else would not Ierom have ranked him among the Greek Fathers nor have made Tertullian as he doth the third but the fourth as he should among the Latins Pamelius also thinks that both he and those first Roman Bishops unto his time wrote rather in Greek than Latine which things considered it 's a wonder that Erasmus should herein be of the mind he was The Latin Copy of Irenaeus saith Cornatius is an exceeding faulty Translation and may better be restored out of Epiphanius than afford any help in the translating of Epiphanius so that marvailous it is that Erasmus a man otherwise endued with a piercing judgement in things of this Nature should think that Irenaeus did wrâ—tein Latin To the same purpose speaks the great Scaliger I do admire saith he that from such a feverish Latin Interpreter as he is whom now we have Erasmus should imagine both that 't is the true Irenaeus and that he imitates the Greeks That Latin Interpreter was most foolish and either omitted or depraved many things which he understood not The fragments which are extant in Epiphanius also the History of the things done by Irenaeus in Eusebius do sufficiently prove both that the man was a Grecian and wrote in Greek neither is it to be doubted of c. The Greek Copy therefore written by himself is long since perished only there are some remains of it to be found scattered in several Authors who saw and made use thereof Thus we have seven and twenty Chapters of of his first Book by Epiphanius inserted into his Panarium who took a good part of his second and third Books word for word out of Iuneus and some few fragments in Eusebiuâ— and Theodoret by comparing of which witâ— the Translation we now have it will easily appear how great a loss the Church sustains in the want of it For instead of eleganâ— Greek we have nothing else in the Ireâ—eâ—â— now extant but rude and ill-favoured Latinâ— Nor indeed can a Translation especially 〈◊〉 of Greek into Latin equal the Original seeing that as Ierom speaks the Latin Tongue râ—ceives not the propriety of the Greek The Contents of the five Books of this excellent Volume to give you a brief accouâ—â— of them from Grynaeus are these 1. In thâ— first he at large sets down the dismal and diabolical Errours of the Valentinians together with a narration of the discords and impieties of those wretched Hereticks Whâ—â—â— opinions saith Erasmus are so horrid thâ—â— the very bringing of them to light is confutation sufficient yea the very terms as wâ—â— as the opinions are so monstrous saith the saâ—â— Author that it would even turn the stomach and tire the patience of any one but to peruâ—â— them over 2. In the second he treats of the one Eternal True Omnipotent and Omniscient God besides whom there is none other And that not any feigned Demiurgus or Angels but this eternal God alone Father Son and holy Ghost did out of nothing produce this whole Fabrick both of Heaven and Earth and gave being to Angels Men and all inferiour Creatures and refuses the Errours of the Gnosticks concerning the same shewing what they stole from the Philosophers to deceive the simple withal and wounding yea overcoming them with Weapons or Arguments fetched out of their own Magazines and Armory 3. In the third which is partly polemical and partly exegetical he discovers and proves the Hereticks to be foully guilty of that heynous crime of corrupting and curtailing the sacred Scriptures and evidently demonstrates the perpetual consent of the Prophets and Apostles concerning our Lord Jesus Christ God and Man 4. In the fourth he clearly and by solid Arguments proves that one and the same God was the Author of both the Testaments the Old and the New and that therein he hath revealed himself and his Will concerning the Restitution and Salvation by Jesus Christ of all men that do repent largely discoursing of the power of the Will and of our imperfection and being gotten out of the craggy and intricate places he enters into a large field explaining many Scriptures depraved by the Hereticks 5. In the fifth and last Book having made a repetition of divers things formerly handled he comes to confute the vain conceits of the Gnosticks concerning the utter perishing of the bodies of men and proves that our bodies shall not only be raised by Christ at the last day but also that the very bodies of the Saints shall injoy eternal life and be saved together with their Souls In the handling whereof he gives a notable experiment as the diligent Reader may observe of a clear head and as of a choice a spirit whence his weighty arguments sharpned with holy Zeal do pierce deeply into the very hearts of the Enemies of the Truth to their shameful prostration and utter overthrow for great is the Truth and will prevail He is one of the Ancients and the only one among those contained in this Decade that had the good hap not to have his name abused by being prefixed to the Books he never wrote nor the bastard-brats of others to be father'd upon him § 4. As for his Stile 't is somewhat obscure and intricate yea he is oftentimes neglectinâ— of his words and speaks improperly ye such is the subject he discourseth of that â— will hardly admit of clear and plain expressions He himself disclaims Eloquence aâ— dwelling among the Celtae a people of a barbarous speech Look not saith he for the art of Oratory which we have not learned but what simply truly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in â— vulgar manner we have written in Love iâ— Love receive Yet understand him of affected Rhetorick and not that he was altogether ignorant of that art which could not be seeing that in a subject so thorny and perplex his stile is perspicuous digested and coherent So that considering the matter he handleth 't is no wonder he is so obscure and that so little art
for the benefit of posterity those things which he had heard and received from the Ancient Presbyters In which book he remembers Melito Irenaeus and certain others whose expositions he inserts and makes use of 2. A book thus intituled Quis dives salvetur So Eusebius or as Ierom Quisnam dives ille sit qui salvetur A Treatise Learnedly composed saith Nicephorus and worthy to be perused whence saith Possevine Eusebius took that famous story of the Young man by the Apostle Iohn recommended to the care of a certain Bishop who afterward became very debaucht and gave himself to all kind of vice but was again by the same Apostle in an admirable manner recalled and recovered who so list may read this story at large in Eusebius liâ— 3. cap. 21. 3. His disputations of Fasting which as also the following Nicephorus calls Homilies Honorius Augusto dunensis divides the title but amiss setting down as two distinct Books De Iojunio unus De Disceptatione unus contrary to Ierome whose catalogue with some others he epitomized Trithemius also is guilty of the same errour 4. De Obtrectatione or of slander 5. An exhortatory unto patience composed for such as were newly baptized 6. Of the Canons of the Church or an Ecclesiastical Canon and against those who follow the errour of the Jews which Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he peculiarly dedicated it unto Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem Trithemius and the Centurists make these two distinct Books wherein they may be presumed to be mistaken seeing herein they differ from Eusebius and Ierom the latter of the two the Centurists entitle thus Of those who in the Scriptures follow the sence of the Jews 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight Books of Dispositions Informations or Institutions fetching the name haply from 2 Tim. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he goeth over the whole body of the Scriptures in a brief Commentary or compendious explanation of them if not rather some special places of both Testaments the scope of the whole work seeming to be an interpretation of Genesis Exodus the Psalms the Epistles of Paul and those called Catholical and lastly of the Book called Ecclesiasticus yea he omits not some of those that are Apâ—cryphal altogether and generally rejected viz. the Revelation under the name of Peter and the Epistle of Barnabas Heinsius gives us this account of them These Books saith he as the Inscription teacheth us did contain an institution or delineation of the Doctrine of Christianity not so much methodical dogmatical and artificial as free and bound up or restrained by no rules for he interpreted divers places of the Sacred Scriptures out of which without doubt he gathered a Body of Doctrine The want of these Books cannot be accounted any great loss if the report of Photius concerning them be a truth For saith he although in some things he seems to be Orthodox and sound in his judgment yet in others he discourseth altogether fabulously and impiously as in asserting the matter whereof the world was made to be eternal in ranking Christ among the number of things created in mentioning with allowance and approbation the Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of Souls and that many worlds were before Adam that the word was not truly made flesh but only seemed so to be together with very many such like passages withal adding as admiring and amazed that such an one as Clement should be the author of them all which either he himself or else some other under his name blasphemously uttereth which latter saith Andrew Schoâ—tus and Possevine is the more likely for the Arrians had corrupted his writings as Ruffine reporteth in his Apology for Origen and the Doctrine contained in his other Books is more sound and orthodox Besides these there is elsewhere mention of the following Treatises 8. Of the Resurrection 9. Of Continence 10. Of Marriage of these three he himself speaks in his Books of Stromes and particularly of the last in his Paedagogus lib. 3. cap. 8. where we have a summary of the contents of it viz. how the Wife ought to live with her Husband of the Administration of the Government of the Family the use of Servants and what things ought to be done by her apart of the time of Marriage and of those things which appertain to women 11. Sozomen saith that he compiled an History and indeed Suidas makes mention of one Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Historian who wrote of the Roman Kings and Emperours but Baronius supposeth they meant not this but another Clement and the truth is they both speak of a Clement indefinitely without any addition of the Alexandrian or otherwise 12. Many Epistles 13. He also promised a Commentary upon Genesis which accordingly he clearly and entirely performed upon the whole Book as some do affirm whom herein saith Sixtus Senensis I will neither give credit unto nor gainsay Of the second sort of his Books viz. those remaining and commonly received at this day are only the three following 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his admonition or exhortation unto the Gentiles adversus Gentes liber unus saith Ierom. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Schoolmaster comprised in three Books 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eight Books of Stromes a work variously woven after the manner of Tapestry mixed with testimonies taken out of the Sacred Scriptures as also Poets Philosophers and Historians whence he got the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contextor or the Weaver He himself gives the reason of the name and why these Books were so entituled by him Est in exiguo quidem spacio inquit multa genitalis copia semine eorum dogmotum quae comprehenduntur in hoc opere tanquam ager omnibus herbis plenus Vnde etiam propriam habent inscriptionem stromata commentariorum c. Again Permixtim nobis instar prati variata est stromatum descriptio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of its proper and primitive signification the most learned Casaubon gives us this account Solitos veteres stragulam vestem pellibus involvere loris constringere etiam Iurisconsulti testes sunt Constat autem ex-veterum lectione stragula superiora involucrum istud quod antiquiores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recentiores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocarunt varâ—â—s coloribus distincta ferè fuisse Inde translatae eae dictiones ad res significandas varietate insignes cujusmodi fuit piscis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictus ob coloris aurei virgas per totum illius corpus productas inquit Athenaeus lib. 7. Similiter viri docti excerpta sua ex variis auctoribus aut propria etiam scripta sed veterum referta testimoniis soliti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellare ut Clemens Alexandrinus c. Those Books and Commentaries saith Martianus Victorinus men call Stromata
it is that most Mens stiles do differ as well as their faces suus cuique stilus est inquit Erasmus quisque suum quendam habet gustum peculiarem every one hath somewhat peculiar to him in this particâ—lar Accordingly our Author being a Man â—cris vehementis Ingenii of a rough sharp and vehement spirit makes use of a stile answerable viz. quick and crabbed and consequently harsh and obscure which he did of purpose affecting it as most agreeable to his Genius so that his expressions are such even in things that are plain and easie This Rhenanus renders as the reason why his writings had so many faults or Errataes in them viz. â—eglectus autâ—ris quo multis annis non est lectotum manibus tritus ipsâ—m dicendi gâ—nus affectatum Africanum affectati stili durities molestiam addit quod etiam magis effecit ut minùs legâ—retur quà m quidvis aliud Which betided the Poet Persius qui consulâ—ò est obscurus suisque scriptis caliginem tenebras exindustriâ objecit for being by one taken in hand and perceived to be so dark and cloudy he was fairly laid aside with such like words as these Si nolâ—t intelligi non legetur 4. His converse in the Greek Authors whom he diligently read being very skilful in that Tongue idenim temporis nihil extabaâ— inquit Rhenanus apud Latinos in sacris praeter testamentum utrumque tantum Victor Apollonius scripserant opuscula hence it is that transcribing much from them he retains their phrases though he quote not his Authors which was the manner of the first ages viz. to cite none by name but the sacred Scriptures only especially if they had drawn the Water out of the Wells of the Greeks and imitates their manner of speaking By his assiduous perusal of their Books saith Pamelius adeò Graecas loquendi formulas imbiberit ut etiam Latinè seribens illarum oblivisci nequiret he so drank in their forms of speech that when he comes to write in Latin he cannot forget them and both himself and Rhenanus have taken notice of many phrases in him which he borrows from the Greeks and wherein he conforms unto them Most of these I find observed by that Learned French-man Mr. Iohn Daille in his choice Treatise concerning the right use of the Fathers What shall I say saith he of Tertullian who besides his natural harshness and roughness which you meet with in him throughout and that Carthagmian spirit and genius which is common to him with the rest of the African writers hath yet shadowed and over-cast his conceptions with so much learning and with so many new terms and passages out of the Law and with such variety of all visions subtilties and nice points as that the greatest stock both of learning and attention that you can bring with you will be all little enough to fit you for a perfect understanding of him § 5. This father is full fraught with and abounds in grave and excellent sentences some few whereof I shall here insert which may serve a little to acquaint us with the state of those times in reference unto both the Doctrine and Discipline then professed and practised in the Chuches of Christ. 1. Take a view of his Symbol or Creed containing a summary of the faith which was generally received and maintained in his time Altogether one the only immoveable and irreformable rule as he stiles it which is this To believe that there is but one God nor he any other beside the Creator of the world who made all things of nought by his word first of all sent forth Colos. 1. 16 17. That word to be call'd his Son in the name of God variously seen by the Patriarchs always heard by the Prophets last of all brought down by the Spirit of God the Father and Power into the Virgin Mary made flesh in her womb and of her born a man and that he is Jesus Christ moreover that he preached a new law and a new promise of the Kingdom of Heaven that he wrought or did wonders was fastned to the Cross arose the third day that being taken up into heaven he sate down on the right of the Father sent the power of the Ghost in his stead that he might guide or act believers that he shall come in glory to take the Saints into the fruition of eternal life and heavenly promises and to adjudge the wicked unto perpetual fire a resurrection of each part being made with the restitution of the flesh This rule instituted by Christ as shall be proved hath no question made of it among us but which Heresies bring in and which makes Hereticks A compend or brief hereof is to be seen in the beginning of his book of the veiling of Virgins as also in that against Praxeas the Heretick unto which he subjoyns these words This Law of Faith remaining other things that concern discipline and conversation do admit of a newness of Correction the grace of God working and making a proficiency unto the end So that where there is a consent in the fundamental and substantial truths of the Gospel differences in things of less moment may be born with nor should they cause divisions among Christians That rule holding here that Opinionum varietas opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He adds that this rule hath ran down from the beginning of the Gospel even before any heresie sprung up insomuch as from hence this appears to be a firm Truth id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius Again The Church acknowledgeth one God Creatour of the universe and Jesus Christ of the Virgine Mary the Son of God the Creator and the resurrection of the flesh it mingleth the Law and the Prophets with the Evangelical and Apostolical writings and from thence drinks in that faith It signs with water clotheth with the holy Ghost which Pamelius understands of confirmation feeds with the Eucharist exhorteth with Martyrdom and so receives none against this institution 2. He prescribes and lays down this for a sure rule by which the truth may be known viz. If the Lord Jesus Christ did send out the Apostles to Preach other Preachers are not to be received then those whom Christ did institute because neither doth any other know the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son hath revealed him neither doth the Son seem to have revealed him unto any others save to the Apostles whom he sent to Preach Now what they have preached i.e. what Christ revealed to them ought no other way to be proved then by the same Churches which the Apostles themselves founded preaching unto them as well by a lively voice as they say as afterward by Epistles If these things be so it is then evident that
with two Books upon the thirtieth Chapter 11. A huge number of Homilies upon Ieremy the most whereof are lost 12. Upon the Lamentations nine Tomes Of which saith Eusebius we have seen five 13. Upon Ezekiel twenty and five Tomes the which he wrote being at Athens besides many Homilies 14. Upon the twelve Minor Prophets many Tracts Whereof saith Eusebius we have found twenty and five in the whole which Ierom saith he found copied out by Pamphilius among these were one upon Hosea of which Ierom thus Origenes parvum de hoc Prophetâ scripsit Libellum cui hunc titulum imposuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. quare in Osee appellatur Ephraim volens ostendere quaecunque contra eum dicuntur ad haereticorum referenda personam c. II. Vpon the New Testament 1. Upon Matthew one Book containing his Scholia or brief Annotations upon obscure places Also twenty five Homilies upon divers places of the Gospel Six and twenty saith Trithemius and Nicephorus speaks of five Books of his upon Matthew 2. Upon Luke five Tomes and many Homilies 3. Upon the Epistle to the Galatians five Tomes also one Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of choice passages besides not a few Homllies 4. Upon the Epistle to the Ephesians three Volumes or Commentaries of which Ierom makes mention in these words Illud quoque 〈◊〉 praefatione commoneo ut sciatis Origenem tria â—â—lumina in hanc Epistolam conseripsissc quem nos ex parte secuti sumus 5. Upon the Epistle to the Colossians three books 6. Upon the first Epistle of the Thessalonians divers books for Ierom maketh mention of the third volumn upon this Epistle wherein saith he he discourseth with much variety and prudence 7. Upon the Epistle to Titus one book 8. Upon the Epistle to the Hebrews many books all which through the injury of time and violence of his adversaries are lost and now not to be found The books that are extant at this day under his name are these following 1. Seventeen Homilies upon the book of Genesis which are said to be interpreted by Ierom whose name is prefixed to them but falsly as Crynaeus supposeth for indeed it was done by Ruffinus as appears by the liberty that he takes to add detract and change what he pleased which it seems was his manner sed haec non est inquit Erasmus libertas interpretis sed licentia potiùs contaminantis scripta aliena Again Ruffino peculiaris est ista temeritas viz. ea quae vertiâ— truncare augere immutare ex alieno opere suum facere cujus unicum studium fuisse videtur omnes illustrium autorum libros attrectando contaminare Haâ— aâ—rte vir glorie cupidus putavit se reperisse viam quâ vel invitis omnibus tereretur manibus hominum Certainly saith the Learned Daille he hath so filthily mangled and so licentiously confounded the writings of Origen which he hath translated into Latine that you will hardly find a page where he hath not either cut off or added or at least altered something A soul fault in a translator in whom fidelity as the chief vertue is required and most commendable Such is his dealing in this kind that the Reader is often uncertain whether he read Origen or Ruffine Which thing Ierom often and tartly taxeth him for and particularly for his unworthy translation of his book of principles or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he calls and that fitly enough and not without â—est cause an infamous interpretation Let it suffice once for all to have given this hint of the manner of Ruffine in his translation of divers books of Origen And that this translation of these Homilies upon Genesis is his appears from what Ruffine himself hath said in his Peroration added unto the Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans wherein he professeth that he translated Origen upon Genesis And probable it is that the transcribers prefixed Ieroms name as the more gracious and acceptable Grynaeus hath taken pains for the benefit of the Reader to set down as he hath done before all the rest of the works of Origen in his Edition of them the several Theological Common places handled in these homilies adding moreover that by them the diligent Reader will confess that he hath light upon a rich storehouse of Christian Philosophy replenished with all kind of Spiritual treasures 2. Upon Exodus thirteen Homilies translated also by Ruffinus though for the gaining of the more credit unto them the name of Ierom be here also prefixed as the interpretor of them 3. Upon Leviticus sixteen Homilies eighteen say some where the same craft is made use of in the alteration of the name of the translator as in the former By some over-bold impostor these are ascribed unto Cyril of Alexandria under the title of so many books or a Commentary whereas it is manifest they are not Commentaries but Homilies for the Author excuseth his brevity to his auditors by reason of the straits of time and that he intended not a large exposition of the words but to touch some few things briefly for their edification The stile saith Bellarmine and similitude of the Doctrines contained in them shew them plainly to be Origens 4. Upon Numbers twenty eight Homilies some say but twenty six Cent. 3. cap. 10. Sixt. Senens lib. 4. and Scultetus in Medulâ which its likely was translated by Ierom because Ruffine speaking of his translation of Genesis Exodus Leviticus Iosuah and Iudges makes no mention of Numbers and saith Erasmus out of Gennadius Ruffine translated all of Origen except what was done by Ierom. Yet that there are some additions of the interpretor in this piece is apparent saith Grynaeus in homil 2. in cap. 2. Yea these Homilies by their phrase seem to be the work of some Latine Author for in Chap. 12. he expounds the difference between excudere and excidere which could have no place in a Greek 5. Upon Iosuah twenty and six Homilies where we have also the name of Ierom as the interpretor instead of Ruffine as also a Preface pretended to be his but so frigid and and foolish that a more certain argument cannot be desired to perswade us that neither the one nor other is Ieroms and Erâ—smus gives instance in divers particulars 6. Upon Iudges nine Homilies where we have the same mistake of the interpretor liber inquit Grynaeus satis bonus Here also the Etymology of rex à regendo gives cause to suspect that these came out of the same shop with those upon Numbers 7. Upon the book of the Kings or one Homily upon the first and second Chapters of the first of Samuel 8. Upon the book of Iob a large explation divided into three books from the beginning of the History unto
reverence which is meet do consider the sayings of the Prophets even then when he reads and carefully looks into them it is certain that having his mind and sense strickâ—n or moved by some more Divine inspiration he shall know and acknowledge that those words which he reads are of God and not uttered by Man and of himself he shall perceive that those Books were written not by humane Art nor mortal eloquence but in a divine and lofty stile 4. Of the fulness of the Scriptures thus It becomes us to believe the sacred Scriptures not to have one Apex or Tittle void of the Wisdom of God The Prophets receiving of his fulness sung or spake those things which they took of his fulness Therefore the sacred Scriptures do breath the fulness of the Spirit and there is nothing either in the Prophecy or the Law or Gospel or in the Apostle which descendeth not from the fulness of the Divine Majesty 5. Of the great efficacy and utility of the Scriptures thus Because all Scripture is given by Divine Inspiration and is profitable in Scripturis sanctis est vis quaedam quae legenti etiam fine explanatione sufficit we ought to believe it to be so though we feel not the benefit thereof As Physicians are wont sometimes to give some meat or drink for the clearing of the sight yet in taking of it we perceive not any benefit but afterwards when its vertue reacheth it it by little and little purgeth the sight after this manner we ought to believe the holy Scriptures to be profitable unto the Soul although for the present our sense or reason reach not nor attain unto the understanding of it 6. That Children ought to be baptized thus the Church hath received from the Apostles this tradition to give or administer Baptism even unto Infants for they to whom the secrets of divine Mysteries were committed knew that there is in all the inbred filth of sin that ought to be washed away by Water and the Spirit 7. Of the Sabbath thus Let us see how a Christian ought to observe and keep the Sabbath Upon the Sabbath none of the businesses of the World ought to be done if therefore thou cease from all worldly labours and do no such work but attend spiritual imployments come to the Assembles apply thine ear unto the holy Scriptures read and Sermons think of heavenly things be sollicitous about the future hope have before thine eyes the judgement to come look not unto things visible and that are present but unto invisible and that shall be This is the observation of a Christian Sabbath 8. Concerning excommunication and that it ought to be performed by the Church thus If any one having been admonished and rebuked for a fault once again and the third time shall shew no amendment there remains no remedy but cutting off For so saith the Lord If thy right offend thee cut it off i. e. If I that seem to thee to be a right hand and am call'd a Presbyter and seem to preach the Word of God if I shall do any contrary unto Ecclesiastical Discipline and the Rule of the Gospel so that I give a scandal or offence unto the Church let the whole Church conspiring with one consent cut me off their right hand Again those whose sins are manifest we ought to cast off but where the sin is not evident we ought not to eject 9. Out of those Prophesies or Books of the Scripture which contains Histories we may receive benefit not only or so much from the narration of the things as from what is figuratively signified by them seeing that with greatest Wisdom they are so written and dispensed that they do agree or suit with either the simple and vulgar among Believers or with the excellent that are willing and able to search them more throughly 10. He reciteth the Canonical Books of the Old Testament as they are now reckoned viz. twenty and two in number after the number of the Hebrew Letters And besides these saith he there are Books of the Machabees Of the Epistle to the Hebrews he thus speaks The character of the Epistle to the Hebrews saith he setteth not forth the stile of Paul who confesseth himself to be rude in speech for the phrase of that Epistle savoureth very much of the Greek Tongue whosoever he be that hath any judgement or discerning of phrases will confess the same I truly for mine own part that I may speak as I think do say that the Doctrine of this Epistle is the Apostles for undoubted but the phrase and order another mans who noted the sayings of the Apostle and contrived such things as he had heard of his Master into short and compendious notes 11. That Christ cometh and goeth and is not always enjoyed nor alike present with his people thus God is my witness that I have often times beheld the Bride groom coming unto me and to be very much with me who suddenly withdrawing I could not find what I sought for I therefore again desire his coming and sometimes he cometh again and when he appeareth and was held in my hands he again slips away and being gone he is again sought for by me and this he doth often till I truly hold him fast 12. Against the Observations of ones Birth-day as an annual Festival thus It is no where recorded in the Scripture that any of the Saints did keep a Festival or hold a great Feast upon the day of his Birth only sinners rejoyce for such a Nativity as did Pharaoh and Herod § 6. But as his worth was great being great from his infancy and his excellencies many his deeds even from the Cradle deserving in the judgement of Eusebius to be recorded and transmitted unto Posterity so were they equalled by his defects and blemishes and as for the one he was justly had in high esteem so did the other no less detract from his reputation which occasioned that speech so commonly made use of concerning him that where he did well no man did better and where he did ill no man did worse Cui inquit Cassiodorus illud convenienter aptari potest quod Virgilius dum Ennium legeret à quodam quid faceret inquifitus respondit Aurum ex stercore quaero Hence it came to pass that divers of the Ancients were so divided in their judgements and had such hot contests about him Some vilifying and opposing him as did Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis a City of Cyprus who speaking of the multitude of Books which he wrote cryes out O inanis operarie O empty scribler He was also perswaded by Letters which he received from the said Theophilus qui scripsit adversum Originem unum grande volumen in quo omnia penè ejus dicta ipsum pariter damnat c. to summon a Council at Cyprus
and learning among whom Tertulâ—ian and Augustin were chief but scarcely unto any one happened the genuine purity of the Roman Language but only unto Cyprian Thus Erasmus Like a pure fountain he flows sweetly and smoothly and withal he is so plain and open which is the chief virtue of speech that you cannot discern saith Lactantius whether any one were more comly in speaking or more facil in explicating or more powerful in perswading Prudentius also in this regard thus extols him O nive candidius linguae genus O novum saporem Vt liquor Ambrosius cor mitigat imbuit palatum Sedem animae penetrat mentem fovet pererrat artus His phrase is most elegant saith Sixtus Senensis and next unto Ciceronian Candour And in the judgment of Alsted as Lactantius may be truly accounted the Christian's Cicero so may Cyprian their Caesar for these two among the Latines added ornament unto Christian Doctrine Now Caesar saith Vives is egregiously useful for dayly speech unto whom Tully gives the praise of a pure and uncorrupted dialect Quintilian of elegancy whom he peculiarly studyed and Mr. Ascham in that learned and grave discourse which he calls his Schoolmaster judgeth that in Caesar's Commentaries which are to be read with all curiosity without all exception to be made either by friend or foe is seen the unspotted propriety of the Latine Tongue even when it was in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the highest pitch of all perfectness yet is his phrase various sometimes he soars aloft and is very copious with abundance of words as in his Epistle unto Donatus another time he falls as low as in his Epistle unto Caecilius of the Sacrament of the Lord's Cup but most commonly he is temperate and keeps the middle way between these extremes as in his Treatise of the Habit of Virgins In a word he was saith Hyperius plain vehement serious and not unhappily fluent his words breathing a venerable elegancy as the things which he wrote did piety and martyrdom whereof I now proceed to give a taste § 5. In his Treatise of the vanity of Idols we have a sum of his Faith which Froben in his Index affixed unto the edition of Erasmus stiles the most elegant Creed or Symbol of Cyprian containing the Doctrines of Christ his Deity Incarnation Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension and second coming His words are these Indulgentiae Dei gratiae disciplinaeque arbiter magister sermo filius Dei mittitur qui per Prophetas omnes retrò illuminator doctor humani generis praedicabatur Hic est virtus Dei hic ratio hic sapientia ejus gloria hic in Virginem illabitur carnem Spiritu Sancto cooperante induitur Deus cum homine miscetur hic Deus noster hic Christus est qui mediator duorum hominem induit quem perducat ad Patrem quòd homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo possit esse quòd Christus est Cum Christus Iesus secundùm a Prophetis ante praedicta verbo vocis imperio daemonia de hominibus excuteret leprosos purgaret illuminaret caecos claudis gressum daret mortuos rursus animaret cogeret sibi element a famulari servire ventos maria obedire inferos cedere Iudâ—ei qui illum crediderant hominem tontùm de humilitate carnis corporis existimabant magum de licentiâ potestatis Hunc Magistri eorum atque primores hoc est quos doctrina illâ ille sapientiâ revincebat accensi irâ indignatione provocati postremò detentum Pontio Pilato qui tunc ex parte Romanâ Syriam procuraâ—at tradiderunt crucem ejus mortem suffragiis violentis ac pertinacibus flagitantes Crucifixâ—s prevento carnis officio spiritum sponte dimisit die tertio rursus a mortuis sponte surrexit Apparuit discipulis talis ut fuerat agnoscendum se videntibus praebuit simul junctus substantiae corporalis firmitate conspicuus ad dies quadraginta remoratus est ut dâ— vel ab eo ad praecepta vitalia instrui possent discerent que docerent Tunc in Coelum circumfusâ nube sublatus est ut hominem quem dilexit quem induit quem a morte protexit ad patrem victor imponeret jam venturos è Coelo ad poenam Diaboli ad censuram generis humani ultoris vigore judicis potestate 2. Concerning the Article of Christ's descent into Hell the Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed thus speaks We are saith he verily to know that it is not to be found in the Creed of the Roman Church neither in the Oriental Churches yet the force of the words seemeth to be the same with those wherein he is said to be buryed 3. Of the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament the same Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed having enumerated the same Books that we do These saith he are they which the Fathers concluded within the Canon out of which they would have the assertions of our Faith to consist But we are to know further that there are other Books which our Predecessors called not Canonical but Ecclesiastical as the Books of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Toby Iudith and Maccabees all which they would indeed have to be read in the Churches but yet not to be produced for the confirmation of the Faith 4. Of how little esteem custom ought to be if not founded upon truth he pithily shews in that short sentence Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Custom without truth is but mouldy errour In vain therefore saith he do some that are overcome by reason oppose or object custom unto us as if custom were greater than truth or that in Spirituals were not to be followed which for the better hath been revealed by the Holy Ghost Again if Christ alone must be heard as Matth. 17. 5. we ought not to heed what another before us thought fit to be done but what Christ who is before all first did Neither ought we to follow the custom of man but the truth of God 5. He understands by Tradition nothing but that which is delivered in the Scripture Let nothing be innovated saith Stephen unto him but what is delivered He replyeth whence is this Tradition whether doth it descend from the authority of the Lord and the Gospel or doth it come from the Apostles Commands and Epistles for those things are to be done that are Written If therefore this speaking of the Rebaptization of Hereticks or receiving them into the Church only by imposition of hands which later was Stephens opinion against Cyprian be either commanded in the Evangelists or contained in the Epistles or Acts of the Apostles let it be observed as a Divine and Holy Tradition 6. That the Baptism of children was then received and practised in the Church and that performed by aspersion as valid as that
therefore despise as sordid the plain and common language of the Scripture saith he Cannot God the former of the heart speech and tongue speak eloquently Yea but in his most wise providence he would have those things to want varnish which are Divine that all might understand the things which he spake unto all 2. Again to the same purpose the Sacred Scriptures saith he deliver things briefly and nakedly neither indeed was it meet to be otherwise as if when God would speak to men he should assert his words with arguments as if he were not to be believed but as it became him he spake as God himself as the great judge of all things for whom 't is not to argue but to pronounce what is true 3. Of the mighty force and efficacy of the Scriptures and Christian Religion beyond all the Rules of Moral Philosophy to expel vice and plant in men all kind of vertue he thus speaks Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus Give me saith he a man that is wrathful foulmouthed unruly with a few words of Gods book I will make him as gentle as a Lamb Give me one that is close fisted covetous greedy of money I will send him back unto thee liberal bountifully distributing his money with his own hands Give me one that is fearful of torment and death He shall soon despise crosses and fires and Phalaris his Bull. Give me a leâ—her an adulterer a haunter of brothel-houses you shall see him sober continent Give me one that is cruelly disposed and blood-thirsty that fury of his shall be changed into true clemency Give me one who is unjust unwise a sinner he quickly shall be just wise upright So great is the power of Divine Wisdom that being infused into the brest of a man doth at one assault expel folly the mother of vices Hath any one of the Philosophers either performed these things or can he if he will Who when they have worn out all their time in the study of Philosophy can make neither any other nor themselves better if nature a little withstand Therefore their wisdom when it hath done its utmost doth not abolish but hide vices Whereas aâ— few precepts of God do change the whole man and the old being put off do make him new that you cannot know him to be the same 4. Of the Church thus The Church saith he is the true Temple of God which consisteth not in walls but in the hearts and faith of men who believe on him and are called faithful or believers 5. Again That only is the Catholick Church which retains the true Worship of God This is the fountain of verity this is houshold of faith this is the temple of God into which who so shall not enter or from which who so shall depart he is an alien from the hope of eternal life and salvation And because every company of Hereticks do think that they chiefly are Christians and theirs to be the Catholick Church we are to know that that is the true wherein is Religion Confession and Repentance which wholsomly cures the sins and wounds unto which the frailty of the flesh is subject 6. Of Repentance thus He that repents of his deed understands his former error wherefore the Greeks do better and more significantly call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then we Latines can call it Resipiscentiam For he repents and as it were recovers his mind from madness who grieveth for his error and corrects himself for his folly and confirms his mind to live more uprightly being most wary of this that he be not again drawn into the same snares 7. Again The conscience of sin and fear of punishment makes a man the more Religious and always faith is by much more firm which repentance resettles or puts again in its place 8. He sets down the sum of the Law referring it unto two heads after this manner The first head or chief point of the Law is to know God and to obey and worship him alone Or the first duty or point of righteousness is to be in conjunction or communion with God the second with man the former is called Religion the other is named mercy or humanity Wherefore the principal bond of men among themselves is humanity the which whosoever shall break asunder is to be accounted a wretch and a parricide For if we all have our Original from one man whom God formed surely we are of kin and of the same blood and therefore is it the greatest crime to hate a man even an enemy for which cause God hath commanded that we should never bear enmity toward any but always take it away to wit that we should pacifie those who are enemies unto us by admonishing them of the alliance that is between us 9. God saith he is not to be worshipped with offerings and much blood but with a pure mind and honest purpose Temples are not to be builded unto him with stones heaped together on high but to be hallowed by every one in his own brest If any one think that garments and gems and other things which are had in esteem are dear to God he plainly knows not what God is who thinks that he takes pleasure in those things which if even a man contemn he shall be justly praised What therefore is pure what worthy of God but that which he himself in his Divine Law requireth Two things there are which ought to be offered a gift and a sacrifice the gift is integrity of mind the sacrifice praise and thanksgiving 10. There is no man so rude and of such barbarous manners but when he lifts up his eyes unto heaven albeit he know not by the providence of what God this universe which he beholds is governed yet doth he understand that there is one by the very vastness motion order constancy utility beauty and temperament of thing and that it cannot be but that that which consisteth in such an admirable manner is guided by some greater Counsel §6 These and many other the like useful passages are to be found in his writings though yet for the chief points of Religion he handles them but very slenderly and not so plainly as he should for there is not a clear sentence concerning faith the benefits of the Son of God or of any other necessary part of the Doctrine of Christianity to be met with in Lactantius throughout he being for the most part imployed in refuting the false opinions of the Gentiles which is the ground of that speech of Chemnitius that Lactantius cannot much advantage his Reader Many points of Religion he but toucheth only and the most he understood not so likewise speaks Chytraeus of him Doctrinam Evangelii propriam de beneficiis Christi de fide parùm intellexit Whence it comes to pass that his errors were neither few nor small speaking of the weightiest doctrines very unfitly and improperly
though perhaps in some of them as Osiander charitably conceives he thought better and was more sound in his judgment His Errors were such as these 1. Concerning God his expression is very unmeet and dangerous viz. That God made himself Yet may his meaning be that God had his being of himself for so lib. 2. 9. 't is God alone who is not made he is of himself as we said lib. 1. and therefore is such as he would himself to be viz. impassible immutable uncorrupt blessed eternal 2. He so speaks of Christ say the Centuturists that a man may well say he never rightly understood either the person or Office of the Son of Son of God As where he saith That God did produce a Spirit like himself who should be endued with the vertues of God his Father Also The Commands of his Father he faithfully observed for he taught that God is one and that he alone ought to be worshipped neither did he ever say that himself was God for he should not have been faithful if being sent to take away the gods and to assert one should have brought in another beside that one These and such like words he hath that do not a little smell of Arianism Indeed he in this particular doth not express himself so warily as he ought which hath occasioned such suspicions of him but yet however that in his judgment he neither denied nor doubted of the Deity or Eternity of Christ seems clear from divers other places where in so many words he acknowledgeth both as where he calls him the word of God inquit meritò sermo verbum dei dicitur qui procedentem de ore suo vocalem Spiritum quem non utero sed mente conceperat inexcogitabili quadam majestatis suae virtute ad effigiem quae proprio sensu ac sapientiâ vigeat comprehendit alios item Spiritus in angelos â—â—guraverit Also if any wonder that God should be generated of God prolatione vocis 〈◊〉 Spiritus when once he shall know the sacred voices of the Prophet he will certainly cease to wonder Again he saith that the Jews condemned their God Lastly Sicut â—ater inquit sine exemplo genuit Authorem suum sic ineffabiliter Pater genuisse credendus est Coaeternum De matre natus est qui ante jam fuit de Patre qui aliquando non fuit Hoc fides credat intelligentia non requirat ne â—ut non inventum putet incredibile aut reperâ—um non credat singulare If therefore in some places he seem to deliver that which savors too much of Arius or speak not so clearly of Christ as he should Thomasius that diligent peruser of him who compared divers Copies together is of the mind that there his books are by some Arian corrupted giving sundry instances herein 3. He unadvisedly saith that Christ after his resurrection went into Galilee because he would not shew himself unto the Jews lest he should bring them unto repentance and save those wicked men 4. He is silent concerning the Priestly Office of Christ mentioning no other ends of his Incarnation or coming and passion but only to reveal and make known unto men the Mysteries of Religion and to give them an example of vertue 5. He knew nothing at all of the Holy Ghost and makes little or no mention of him in his books now extant Or if he knew any thing Ierom acquaints us what his apprehensions of him were In his books saith he and especially in his Epistles unto Demetrian he denies the substance of the holy Ghost saying according to the error of the Jews that he is referred either unto the Father or the Son and that the sanctification of either person is demonstrated under his name So that what Ierom spake of Origen may not unfitly be applied unto him also viz. that his opinion of the Son was bad but concerning the holy Ghost was worse 6. He conceited that the Angels were given unto men to be their guardians lest they should be destroyed by the Devil unto whom at first the power of the earth was given And that those guardian Angel being allured to accompany with women were for this their sin cast down from heaven and so of the Angels of God became the Ministers of the Devil 7. Also That God created an infinite number of souls which he afterward put into frail and weak bodies that being in the midst between good and evil and vertue being propounded unto man consisting of both natures he might not with ease and delicacy obtain immortality but with great difficulty and labor get the reward of eternal life 8. He speaks nothing of the righteousness of faith but that salvation is merited by good works and that if a man serve not the earth which he ought to tread underfoot he shall merit everlasting life Cum lib. 5. 6. inquit Chytraeus orationem de justitiâ Christiana ex professo instituerit tamen de philosophies tantum sen legis justitia disputat justitiae â—â—dei quae Evangelii propriâ est nullam ferè mentionem facit 9. Of Prayer saith he As often as a man asks he is to believe that he is tempted of God whether he be worthy to be heard Of pardon of sin thus that God vouchsafes it unto them that sin ignorantly but not unto them that sin of knowledge and wittingly Also that a man may be without sin which yet he contradicts within a few lines after 10. He hath many superstitious things concerning the virtue of the sign of the Cross viz. That it is terrible unto the Devils qui adjurati per Christum de corporibus quae obsederint fugiunt Nam sicut Christus ipse Daemonas verbo fugabas ita nunc sectatores ejus eosdem spiritus inquinatos de hominibus et nomine Magistri sui et signo passionis excludunt Cujus rei non difficilis est probatio nam â—um diis sâ—is immolant si assistat aliquis signatam fronte gereus sacra nullo modo litant nec responsa potest consultus reddere vates 11. He thinks it unlawful for a righteous man to go to war or to accuse any one of a capital crime because Murther is forbidden 12. He denyed that there were any Antipodes and that with much earnestness and confidence bestowing a whole Chapter upon the maintainance of so evident a mistake in shewing the Original and as he conceived the absurdity of the Antipodian opinion and confuting it wondring at the folly of those that held it What shall we think saith he of them who give out that there are Antipodes walking opposite unto us Do they speak any thing to the purpose or are there any so stupid as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads or that those things there do hang which with us do lye on the
yet is he not two but one Christ. One not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation descended into hell rose again the third day from the dead He ascended into heaven he fifteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved As for the censures annexed hereunto viz. 1. In the beginning except a man keep the Catholick faith 2. In the middle he that will be saved must thus think and 3. In the end this is the Catholick faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved I thought good to give you Dr. Hammond's apprehensions of them how they ought to be understood His words are these I suppose saith he they must be interpreted by their opposition to those heresies that had invaded the Church and which were acts of carnality in them that broach'd and maintain'd them against the apostolick doctrine and contradictory to that foundation which had been resolved on as necessary to bring the world to the obedience of Christ and were therefore to be anathematiz'd after this manner and with detestation branded and banished out of the Church Not that it was hereby defined to be a damnable sin to fail in the understanding or believing the full matter of any of those explications before they were propounded and when it might more reasonably be deemed not to be any fault of the will to which this were imputable Thus he 2. The canonical books of the old and new Testament owned by him are the same with those which the reformed Churches acknowledge for such of which he thus speaks All scripture of us who are Christians was divinely inspired The books thereof are not infinite but finite and comprehended in a certain Canon which having set down of the Old Testament as they are now with us he adds the Canonical books therefore of the Old Testament are twenty and two equal for number unto the Hebrew Letters or alphabet for so many elements of Letters there are among the Hebrews But saith he besides these there are other books of the Old Testament not Canonical which are read only unto the Catechumens and of these he names the Wisdom of Solomon the Wisdom of Iesus the Son of Syrach the fragment of Esther Iudith and Tobith for the books of the Maccabees he made no account of them yet he afterward mentions four books of the Maccabees with some others He also reckons the Canonical Books of the New Testament which saith he are as it were certain sure anchors and supporters or pillars of our Faith as having been written by the Apostles of Christ themselves who both conversed with him and were instructed by him 3. The sacred and divinely inspired Scriptures saith he are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of the truth In the reading whereof this is faithfully to be observed viz. unto what times they are directed to what person and for what cause they are written lest things be severed from their reasons and so the unskilful reading any thing different from them should deviate from the right understanding of them 4. As touching the way whereby the knowledge of the Scriptures may be attained he thus speaks To the searching and true understanding of the Scriptures there is need of a holy life a pure mind and virtue which is according to Christ that the mind running thorow that path may attain unto those things which it doth desire as far as humane nature may understand things divine 5. The holy Scripture saith he doth not contradict it self for unto a hearer desirous of truth it doth interpret it self 6. Concerning the worshipping of Christ we adore saith he not the Creature God forbid Such madness belongs unto Ethuicks and Arians but we adore the Lord of things created the incarnate Word of God for although the Flesh be in it self a part of things created yet is it made the Body of God Neither yet do we give adoration unto such a body by it self severed from the word neither adoring the Word do we put the Word far from the Flesh but knowing that it is said the Word was made Flesh we acknowledge it even now in the Flesh to be God 7. He gives this interpretation of those words of Christ Mark 13. 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Son but the Father The Son saith he knew it as God but not as man wherefore he said not neither the Son of God lest the divinity should seem to be ignorant but simply neither the Son that this might be the ignorance of the Son as man And for this cause when he speaks of the Angels he added not a higher degree saying neither the Holy Spirit but was silent here by a double reason affirming the truth of the thing for admit that the Spirit knows then much more the Word as the Word from whom even the Spirit receives was not ignorant of it 8. Speaking of the mystery of the two natures in Christ What need is there saith he of dispute and strife about words it's more profitable to believe and reverence and silently to adore I acknowledge him to be true God from heaven impâ—ssible I acknowledge the same of the seed of David as touching the Flesh a man of the earth passible I do not curiousty inquire why the same is passible and impassible or why God and man lest being curiously inquisitive why and how I should miss of the good propounded unto us For we ought first to believe and adore and in the second place to seek from above a reason of these things not from beneath to inquire of Flesh and Blood but from divine and heavenly revelation 9. What the faith of the Church was concerning the Trinity he thus delivers Let us see that very tradition from the beginning and that Doctrine and Faith of the Catholick Church which Christ indeed gave but the Apostles preached and kept For in this Church are we founded and whoso falls from thence cannot be said to be a Christian. The holy and perfect Trinity therefore in the Father Son and Holy Ghost receives the reason of the Deity possesseth nothing forraign or superinduced from without nor consisteth of the Creator and Creature but the whole is of the Creator and Maker of all things like it self and
salutatio quidem ei extiterit cum his praetereunti communis I shall close his encomium in the words of Venantius who was also Bishop of Poictiers about the year of Christ 575. And a Poet of chief note according to the time he lived in He in four books of Heroick Verse wrote the life of S. Martin by whose help he had been cured as it is reported of a great pain in his eyes in the first of which books he thus speaks in the praise of our Hilary Summus apex fidei virtutis amoris Hilarius famae radios jactabat in orbem Buccina terribilis tuba legis praeco Tonantis Pulchrior electro ter cocto ardentior auro Largior Eridano Rhodano torrentior amplo Vberior Nilo generoso sparsior Hystro Cordis inundantis docilis ructare fluenta Fontibus ingenii sitienta pectora rorans Doctor Apostolicus vacuans ratione sophistas Dogmate luce side informans virtute sequaces Which may be thus Englished Hilary top of honour faith and grace Whose fame doth dart its rays in every place The laws shrill Trumpet preacher of the most High Fairer than Amber sparkling far and nigh More than refined Gold larger than Po More vehement than Rhone of swiftest flow For fruitfulness passing th' Egyptian Nile Outstretching generous Ister many a Mile Whose swelling heart freely its streams out spues And with his wit the thirsty brests bedews Doctor Apostolick skilful to unty The cunning knots of subtile Sophistry And by sound doctrine to inform aright His followers with virtue faith and light § 3. As for the Writings of this Worthy many of them have felt the force of time which hath rak'd them up in the dust so that they are withdrawn from the view and use of the present as also of some preceding Ages The little of them which with their names have been preserved unto this day is that which follows viz. 1. His commentary or tractates upon the Book of Iob which is little else than a translation of Origen For herein and in his comment upon the Psalms are to be found almost forty thousand verses quadraginta fermè millia versuum Origenis in Iob et Psalmos transtulit translated out of that Author in which he keeps to the sence though not unto his words These were extant in Ieroms time for he had the sight of them 2. His comment upon the Canticles which Ierom only heard of but it came not to his hands 3. Of Mysteries 4. Of the Septenary or uneven number a book mentioned by Ierom dedicated unto Fortunatus This book saith Victorius is extant under the name of Cyprian but that 't is rather Hilary's appears saith he from the stile Ieroms authority ascribing it to him and its dedication unto Fortunatus who was Hilary's great friend as his Poems do testifie 5. His book or commentary as Possevin calls it against Dioscorus a Physician or against Salust a Prefect wherein though it were but short yet was it a learned and accurate piece he shewed what he could do with his Pen putting out all the strength both of his wit and eloquence which is wanting not without the great loss of the History of the affairs of France and other Countries 6. His book against Valens and Vrsatius two pestilent Arians who had infected with their heresie Italy Illiricum and the East containing the History of the Acts of the councils of Ariminum and Seleucia which is lost unless perhaps it be contained in his book of of Synods 7. A defence of the Catholick Faith 8. Of heresies 9. A book of Chronicles or an history from the beginning of the world unto the time of Christ. 10. A book of hymns he was the first among the Catholicks that set forth hymns and verses Declarat inquit Erasmus phrasis et compositio Hilariani sermonis in carmine non infoelicem fuisse Et fortassis aliquot hymni quos hodiè canit ecclesia non indoctos sed incerti authoris illius sunt 11. Divers Epistles a work mentioned by Sulpitius Severus which reporteth the great age of Osius the famous Bishop of Corduba as being above an hundred year old The most of them seem to have been written after his return from banishment into France wherein condemning the Arian heresie he labours to reduce therefrom those Western Bishops who by the Eastern in the Council of Seleucia had been by cunning and craft deceived and drawn into it 12. Whereas the Centurists speak of a book of his concerning the rebaptization of hereticks I suppose it belongs not to our but another Hilary who was a Deacon in the Church of Rome and of Cyprian's mind in the point of rebaptization of those that had been baptized by hereticks and particularly the Arians He indeed wrote certain books upon this subject of whom Ierom is to be understood calling hlm the Worlds Deucalion as one that thought the whole World would have perished in the baptism of Hereticks as in a second flood had not he restored it by another Baptism There are extant to this day these following books which are generally conceived to be his 1. Twelve books of the Trinity against the Arians which he wrote when he was banished into Phrygia being the first among the Latine Fathers that dealt upon this subject A work in this regard of no small advantage unto the Reader that therein he expounds divers places not a little obscure in the Gospel of Iohn and Epistles of Paul no less happily than accurately The first of these books as it seems he writ last for it contains an account or sum of the whole work setting down particularly the subjects or contents of each of the other books It is an elaborate piece of much strength and commended even by the adversaries themselves 2. Three books or Apologues unto Constantius the Emperour who much favoured the faction of the Ariaus All which Erasmus thinks to be imperfect for saith he they promise something exact and laborious but perform not accordingly being as it were suddenly silent The first of these he conceives to have been written after the death of that Emperour because he therein deals more freely and sharply with him whereas in the other two he is more fair and moderate Baronius supposeth the first as well as the two later to have been written while the Emperour was alive and therefore that the book mentioned by Ierome to be written after the death of Constantius is not now extant because he saith that by this free confession he tended to martyrdom whereunto he exhorteth others by the like liberty of speaking which would have seemed ridiculous if the persecutor had been now dead But saith Bellarmine perhaps these different opinions may be reconciled by thus saying That at the Writing of the first Epistle Hilary thought
him to have been dead though indeed he were then alive 3. His book against the Arians or agaâ—nst Auxentius Bishop of Millain written unto the Bishops and people detesting the Arian heresie which by Ierom is stiled an elegant book wherein he accuseth the said Bishop as infected with Arianism To which is annexed an Epistle of Auxentius wherein he cleareth himself as not guilty of the crime laid to his charge 4. His book of Synods unto the Bishops of France whom he congratulates that in the midst of so great tumults as are in the world they had kept themselves free from the Arian faction wherein he declares in what meetings of the Bishops the Arian heresie had been condemned This book as himself testifieth he translated out of Greek but with this liberty that neglecting the words he kept still to the sense and where the place invites him so to do he adds and intermingles somewhat of his own Of which Chemnitius thus speaks He gathered together saith he the opinions of the Greeks concerning the Trinity and unless he had collected the decrees of the Eastern Synods we should have known nothing of them as touching their opinions and doctrinâ—s 5. His commentary upon the Gospel of Matthew which he divided into thirty and three Canons by which name it is called of some Going through almost the whole of that Evangelist in a succinct and brief but learned and solid explanation Being more delighted with the allegorical than literal sense herein imitating Origen out of whom I doubt not saith Erasmus he translated this whole work it doth so in all things savour both of the wit and phrase of Origen For as it containeth many choice things which do proclaim the Author to have been most absolutely skilled in the sacred Scriptures so is he sometimes too superstitious and violent in his allegories a peculiar fault to be found in almost all the commentaries of Origen 6. His commentary upon the Psalms not the whole but upon the first and second then from the one and fiftieth unto the sixty and second according to Ierom's reckoning but as now extant in Erasmus his edition from the one and fiftyeth unto the end of the sixty and ninth which addition Sixtus Senensis saith he had read being printed Also from the hundred and nineteenth unto the end of the book only that upon the last Psalm is imperfect the last leaf saith Erasmus in the manuscripts being either torn or worn away as it oftentimes falls out This work is rather an imitation than a translation of Origen for he adds somewhat of his own some do affirm that he set forth tractates upon the whole book of the Psalms and that it was extant in Spain But commonly no more is to be found than the above mentioned as also his book of the Synods being very large Ierom transcribed with his own hand at Triers for he had him in very high esteem There are also some books abroad under his name which are justly suspected and taken for spurious As 1. An Epistle unto Abram or Afram his Daughter which is a mere toy of some idle and unlearned man it hath nothing in it worthy of Hilary much less that which follows viz. 2. An Hymn which hath in it neither rhythm nor reason yet doth Ierom testifie of Hilary that he wrote in verse and perhaps some of those hymns which at this day are sung in the Church whose Author is unknown may be his He was so far skill'd this way that Gyraldus gives him a place and ranks him among the Christian Poets Bellarmine and Possevin had but small reason upon so slender a ground as they have to affirm both of these to be his without doubt 3. A book of the unity of the Father and the Son which whether it were his or no seems very uncertain seeing Ierom makes no mention of it It seems to be a rhapsody of some studious man taken partly out of the second but for the most part out of the ninth book of the Trinity who omitted and added what he pleased With this as a distinct book from it Bellarmine joyns another of the essence of the Father and the Son which yet I find not named by any other Author Indeed there is an appendix unto the former of the various names of Christ which Bellarmine mentions not the phrase whereof differs much from Hilary's The Author whereof would fain imitate Hilary which he was not negligent in the performance of They are grave and learned books saith Bellarmine of his two and not unworthy the spirit and eloquence of Hilary 4. An Epistle unto Augustine concerning the remains of the Pelagian heresie which cannot be Hilary's because that heresie was not known in his time 5. Another Epistle unto Augustine being the eighty and eighth in number among Augustines in which he propounds certain questions to be resolved but neither this nor the â—ormer are our Hilary's who was dead before Augustine became a Christian and yet in his answer he stiles him his Son They both seem to belong unto another Hilary that was afterward made Bishop of Arles who together with Prosper of Aquitain defended the cause of Augustine against the French Semipelagians The former of the Epistles gave occasion unto Augustine to write his treatises of the predestination of the Saints and of the good of perseverance to which are prefix'd this Epistle together with one from Prosper concerning the same matter 6. A fragment concerning the things that were done in the Council of Ariminum rejected by Baronius 7. An heroick Poem stiled Genesis written unto Pope Leo who lived Ann. 440. at what time Hilary had left this life And therefore it cannot be his but may better be ascribed unto the abovenamed Hilary Bishop of Arles 8. A fragment of the Trinity which contains his creed but of little credit as being no where else mentioned It might happily be an extract out of his work upon this subject § 4. As for his stile it is perplex and thâ—rny such as should he handle matters in themselves very clear yet would it be both hard to be understood and easie to be depraved Very lofty he is after the Gallicane manner for this seems to be peculiar unto the wit and genius of that nation as appears in Sulpitius Severus Eucherius and of late the famous Budaeus adeo sublimis ut tubam sonare credas non bominem adeò faeliciter elaboratus ut eruditum lectorem nunquam satiet trivialiter literatos procul submoveat and being adorned with the Flowers of Greece he is sometimes involved in long periods so that he is far above the reach of and in vain perused by unskilful Readers which yet Sixtus Senensis thinketh ought to be referred unto his books of the Trinity wherein he imitated Quintilian both in his